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~~~ ~- Hesperus mine chipping away at expansion plans By K.W. Harp Herald Stall Writer single proposed natural gas well near Ba}'field has resulted in owns of meetings, countless pages of documentation and led to threats of Iitlgation between the landown- erand the gas company. About 30 miles to the west, a 3`?0-acre coal-mining expansion has barely raised a single eyehroa~. "Despite what you hear in the oil and gas indusn~y, we make it a point to get along wilt our neighbors," said Trent Peterson, vice president of the Hespents mine owned by National King Coal LLC. King Coal Mine wants a ;420-acre expansion uC its mining capabilities, and [he Colorado Division oC Minerals and Geology has given the expansion the thumbs up. Because King Coal is au undergrounh, mine, un new significant surface impacts tell arise, slid Harry Rauney, emiron- mencJ protection specialist with the Col- a~ado Division of ~~tinerak and Geology. The mines permit revision, which includes a request for the expansion, will be approved h}' the dis~sion if there are no objections filed by March 10. As of 7-hursday, there had Ueen no objections, Ranney said. The 57•}'ear-old mine is located about 7 miles soudtwest of Hespents. "1 hate to sav it about a mine, but [his is pretty insignificant," Ranney said. "it absolutely does rot create more em~ron- mental disturbance. You would have more em~ronmenuil damage if you built a house, and that s the truth," ~~~~~dtingv:~Gaatr•Mene produces abottr ~C80,000 tohs of Coal annually,"Peterson said. About 3,000 tuns oC coal are sent to the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, but a majority of the produo- Lion is conuacted ro cement plants in - New Mexico and Arizona. R:mney said residents near the mine should not notice any impacts frmn the lllllllllll11111l11